Ejector and sorting mechanism for printing machines



SePf29, 1959 w. RITZERFELD ETAL 2,906,196

EJECTOR AND SORTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Original Filed March 2, 1955 Sept. 29; 1959 w. RlTzl-:RFl-:LD ETAL2,906,196

EJECTOR AND SORTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed March2, `1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 29, 1959 w. Rn'zERFELD ETAL 2,906,196

EJECTOR AND SORTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES w. RlTzl-:RFELD ErAL2,906,196 EJECTOR AND SORTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES OriginalFiled March 2, 1955 Sept. 29, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States PatetEJECTOR AND SORTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Wilhelm Ritzerfeld,Berlin-Dahlem, and Gerhard Rtzerfeld, Berlin-Grunewald, Germany Originalapplication March 2, 1955, Serial No. 491,574, now Patent No.-2,847,214, dated August 12, 1958. gings; and this application July 28,1958, Serial No.

2 Claims. (Cl. 101-2) The present invention relates -to ejector andsorting mechanism for printing machines and more particularly to ejectorand sorting mechanism for rotary duplicating machines.

The present invention is a divisional application of our copendingapplication Serial No. 491,574, tiled March 2, 1955, entitled EjectorMechanism for Printing Machines, now U. S. Patent No. 2,847,214.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an ejectormechanism which rapidly ejects printed sheets.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an ejectormechanism by which printed sheets are selectively deposited in differentreceiving means.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide side-trackingswitch means in an ejector passage for selectively guiding ejectedprinted sheets into a plurality of receiving compartments.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide sensing meansfor automatically and selectively operating the side-tracking switchmeans in accordance with control marks on the supplied sheets. I

With these objects in view the present invention mainly consists in aprinting machine which comprises a pair of rotary printing rollers,movable ejector meansvreceiving sheets printed by the printing rollersand moving at -a speed higher than the peripheral speed of the printingrollers to throw printed sheets into a guide passage provided with sidetracking means which are selectively oper'- able to guide sheets toreceiving means.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the guidepassage which is provided with a plurality of side-tracking switch meansassociated with a plurality of receiving compartments for receivingassorted printed sheets. The side-tracking switch means are eithermanually operated, or operated by sensing means sensing controlperforations in the supplied sheets.

This arrangement permits printing of yvarious forms which aredistinguished by a suitable control mark. lThe sensing means sense thecontrol marks and operate sidetracking switches in the ejector passageso that, for instance, bills, order blanks, shipping papers, and similarforms can be automatically assorted in different receiving compartments.Considerable time is saved in this manner since the assorting of printedforms is a ltediousand -timeconsuming operation. Each department of anorganization may receive all the printed copies automatically depositedin one receiving compartment.

The novel features which are considered as-characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified embodiment of thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates a sheet provided with control perforations;

Fig. 4 illustrates a sheet having another arrangement of controlperforations;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of an electrically controlled embodiment ofthe present invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view of -a detail of Fig. 5 shown on anenlarged scale;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modied embodiment;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation partly in section of the moditied embodimentof an electrically controlled arrangement of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating the electrical circuit for operatingthe embodiments shown in Figs. 5 and 10.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the duplicating roller 1is provided with attaching means for attaching a printing foil 1a andcooperates with the counter roller 2 along a printing line-so thatmoistened copy sheets receive imprints from the printing foil 1a whenpassing through the printing line. This arrangement is known, anddescribed in greater detail with reference to Fig. 5. Transportingroller means 32 are urged by resilient means, not shown, into engagementwith a drum-shaped ejector roller 31, as best seen in Fig. 2. Theejector roller 31 is driven from roller 1 by friction transmission means33, 34 at such rotary speed that its peripheral speed exceeds theperipheral speed of the printing rollers 1 and 2. The printed sheet isejected by the ejector roller means 31 and 32 directly after passingthrough the printing line defined by the engaging surfaces of theprinting rollers 1 and 2. The ejecting roller means grip the copy sheetwith lesser pressure than the printing pressure between rollers 1 and 2,so that ejector rollers 31, 32 do not transport the sheet while the samepasses through the printing line. When the sheet is released by rollers1 and 2, the pressure between rollers 31, 32 is suilicient to rapidlyaccelerate the sheet. Due

,to the high speed of the ejector roller means 31, 32, the

sheet is ejected at high speed into the passage defined by the guidemeans 35, 36 which are illustrated to comprise a guide wall 36 andanother wall 35 which is partly formed of adjacent guide plates. Theseplates are portions of side-tracking switch means 47, 48 and 49. Eachside-tracking switch means is movable between an i11- operative positionin which its yguide plate is located in the general plane of the wall 35and a position blocking the passage between the walls of the guide means35, 36. The switches 47 and 49 are shown in inoperative positions, andthe switch 48 is shown in operative position blocking the passagebetween the walls 35 and 36 for side-tracking sheets passing through thepassage. Each side-tracking switch 47, 48, 49 is associated with thereceiving means 51, 52, 53, and it will be understood that the operativeswitch 38 will guide the sheet into the receiving means 52.. At the endof the guide means 35, 36, another receivingmeans 38 is provided. Theswitches 47, 48, 49 are operated by operating means comprising thelevers 41--46 and manually operated members 37, 38 and 39 which may belocked by a locking member 40 engaging cutouts in members 37-39.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 the ejector roller 31is driven by gear means 54, 55, 56, 57 from the printing roller 1, andits peripheral speed is greater than the peripheral speed of theprinting rollers 1 and 2. The sheet is either automatically or manuallysupplied to the supply rollers 5 and 6. The supply rollers 5 and 6 arealso driven from'the drive means of the printing roller 1 and arerotated bythe gear means 58, 59, 60. A supplied sheet is transportedfrom the supply rollers and 6 to the printing line defined by theprinting rollers 1 and 2 and passes through the sensing means M1 to M5which at the start of the operation are disconnected from the source ofvoltage shown in Fig. by the open switch 64.

During rotation of the printing roller 1, the cam means 61 engages thecam follower roller 62 of the lever 63 and closes through lever 63 themain switch 64 so that all sensing means M1 to M5 are connected to thesource of voltage when the sheet to be printed has passed into aposition in which its leading edge is located a few millimetersforwardly of the sensing means M1 to M5.

During further movement of the supplied sheet, the circuit of thesensing means associated with a perforation 65 in the sheet, forinstance the sensing means M4, is closed so that the associatedelectro-magnetic relay means lR4 is energized. The attracted armature ofthe relay operates through a link 66 a spring loaded lever 67 so thatthe lever 68 is turned by its associated spring 108, best seen in Fig.6, and turns the associated side-tracking switch 71 into blockingposition. Five side-tracking switch means 69 and 73 are provided in theembodiment of Fig. 7 which cooperate with receiving compartment means 74to 78, and an additional receiving means 79 is provided at the end ofthe passage of the guide means 35, 36 for receiving the sheets when allside-tracking switches are in operative positions. Similar to theembodiment shown in Fig. l, the ejecting roller means 31, 32 eject thesheets with such force into the passage 35, 36 that an ejected sheetpasses through the entire passage unless side-tracked by a switch. Theejecting roller means grip the copy sheet with lesser pressure than theprinting pressure between rollers 1 and 2, so that ejector rollers 31,32 do not transport the sheet while the same passes through the printingline. When the sheet is released by rollers 1 and 2, the pressurebetween rollers 31, 32 is suicient to rapidly accelerate the sheet.

The cam means 61 has a cam track shaped in such manner that the maincontact 64 is opened after the sensing means M1 to M5 have sensed theperforations 65 in a supplied sheet, so that during the same revolutionof the printing roller 1, the sensing means M1 to M5 cannot becomeeffective after a sheet has passed through the same and in the intervalbefore the next sheet is fed to the sensing means. Shortly before arevolution of the printing drum 1 is terminated, the cam 80, which isfixedly connected to the printing roller 1, actuates the lever 82 byraising its cam follower roller 81. 'Ihe operating lever system 83, 84,85 is downwardly moved and the pins 86 to 91 return the raised operatinglevers 68 of previously actuated switches to initial position. Forinstance, the lever 68 in Fig. S points upwardly, since the associatedswitch 71 is in its operative position. When the bar 84 movesdownwardly, the pin 88, best seen in Fig. 6, engages the raised lever 68and pushes the same into the position shown in Fig. 6 in which the lever67, acting as a catch, holds the lever 68 until the relay R4 is againenergized. The clearance means 84 to 91 act simultaneously on all switchmeans.

The control perforations 65 in the sheets are best seen in Figs. 3 and4, however, in order to assort sheets which are not perforated, or inorder to eject a sheet into a receiving means other than the oneassociated with the perforation of the sheets, manually operatedkeyboard switch means H1 to H5 are provided. For operating the keyboardswitches H1 to H5, it is first necessary to clear the machine byactuating the clearance key L, see diagram of Fig. 10, whereby thesensing means M1 to M5 are rendered inoperative. Thereupon, any one ofthe switches H1 to H5 may be manually operated to eject sheets into thereceiving means R1 to R5 associated with the keys H1 to H5. A multipleswitch 92 is provided which permits operation of all switch means 69 to73 while the machine is running or at a standstill.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate an embodiment substantially corresponding tothe embodiment described with reference to Fig. 5. However, the sheet isnot ejected in upward direction, but in horizontal direction, and theejector means are provided in the form of a conveyor belt cooperatingwith pressure and transporting roller means.

The sheet is supplied by the transporting rollers 6, 60 to the printingrollers 1, 2 and passes through the sensing means M1 to M5 which areconnected to a set of relays R1 to R6 in the manner illustrated in Fig.l0.

The printed sheets fall onto the ejector belt means 93 which is drivenby a belt and pulley drive from a motor which also drives pri-ntingroller 1. Conveyor belt 93 moves at a speed higher than the peripheralspeed of the printing rollers 1 and 2 and, cooperating with the rollermeans 32, ejects the printed sheets into an assorting receiving means94, 95. The side-tracking switches 96 to 101 constitute in inoperativeposition the bottom wall o1` a guide passage, while the top wall thereofis constituted by a cover which is pivotally mounted on the casing. Whenthe cover 95 is opened, the compartments of the receiving means 94 areeasily accessible for removal of printed and assorted sheets. When themultiple bridging switch 92 is operated, see Fig. 10, theelectromagnetically controlled side-tracking switches 96 to 101 areopened by the operating levers 102 to 107 due to the action of theenergized relays R1 to R6 so that all receiving compartments in thereceiving means 94 are accessible.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofprinting machines differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in asheet ejector and assorting mechanism for a rotary duplicating machine,it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since variousmodifications and structural changes may be made Without departing inany way from the spirit of the present inventlon.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a printing machine, in combination, a pair of rotary cooperatingprinting rollers for printing sheets passing between the same in onedirection; movable ejector means located in said one direction behindsaid printing rollers for receiving and conveying printed sheets;elongated guide means located on a side of said ejector means remotefrom said printing rollers for receiving sheets ejected by said ejectormeans; a plurality of receiving means for sheets located spaced fromeach other along said guide means; a plurality of side-tracking switchmeans associated with said receiving means and arranged spaced from eachother along said guide means, each of said switch means being movableindependently of the other of said switch means between an inoperativeposition, and an operative position blocking said guide means forpassage of sheets and connecting said guide means with the receivingmeans associated therewith for guiding sheets into the respectivereceiving means; operating means for select ively operating saidside-tracking switch means; and clearance means controlled by one ofsaid printing rollers for moving at the end of each revolution of saidone printing roller all side-tracking switch means previously shiftedfrom said operative position to said inoperative position.

2. In a printing machine, i-n combination, a pair of rotary cooperatingprinting rollers for printing sheets passing between the same in onedirection; movable ejector means located in said one direction behindsaid printing rollers for receiving and conveying printed sheets;elongated guide means located on a side of said ejector means remotefrom said printing rollers for receiving sheets ejected by said ejectormeans; a plurality of receiving means for sheets located spaced fromeach other along said guide means; a plurality of side-tracking switchmeans associated with said receiving means and arranged spaced from eachother along said guide means, each of said switch means being movableindependently of the other of said switch means between an inoperativeposition, and an operative position blocking said guide means forpassage of sheets and connecting said guide means with the receivingmeans associated therewith for guiding sheets into the respectivereceiving means; operating means for selectively operating saidside-tracking switch means; and clearance means controlled by one ofsaid printing rollers for moving at the end of each revolution of saidone printing roller all side-tracking switch means References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kermode et al. Dec. 18, 1934Wale June 21, 1938

